Radioactivity in mushrooms: A health hazard?

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 154; pp. 14 - 25
• Main Authors: Guillén, J., Baeza, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agaricales - chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Food Contamination, Radioactive - analysis; Food toxicology; Hazard; Health; Humans; Medical sciences; Mushroom; Naturally occurring radionuclides; Radioactivity; Radiocaesium; Radioisotopes - analysis; Regulation; Toxicology; Vegetables - chemistry; Naturally occurring radionuclides; Regulation; Radiocaesium; Hazard; Mushroom; Radioactivity; Fungi; Regulation(control); Health; Toxicity; Radioactive product; Radioisotope
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.12.083

•Mushroom trade is global and consumers have little information about procedence.•A worldwide review was carried out to identify which radionuclide posed health risk.•There is lack of information from some of the major producer countries.•Regulation is focused on 137Cs, equivalence with other radionuclides was done.•Radiocaesium, 226Ra, 210Pb, and 210Po ranges surpassed regulation values. Mushrooms are a complementary foodstuff and considered to be consumed locally. The demand for mushrooms has increased in recent years, and the mushroom trade is becoming global. Mushroom origin is frequently obscured from the consumer. Mushrooms are considered excellent bioindicators of environmental pollution. The accumulation of radionuclides by mushrooms, which are then consumed by humans or livestock, can pose a radiological hazard. Many studies have addressed the radionuclide content in mushrooms, almost exclusively the radiocaesium content. There is a significant lack of data about their content from some of the main producer countries. An exhaustive review was carried out in order to identify which radionuclide might constitute a health hazard, and the factors conditioning it. Regulatory values for the different radionuclides were used. The worldwide range for radiocaesium, 226Ra, 210Pb, and 210Po surpasses those values. Appropriate radiological protection requires that the content of those radionuclides in mushrooms should be monitored.